Able Flight

Changing Lives Though The Challenge and Freedom of Flight

CLASS OF 2025 TRAINING HAS BEGUN

Able Flight Class of 2025 with their instructors at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. Front row (L-R) Ronny Ahmed and Chris Karadjov. Back Row (L-R) instructors  Bisola Saliu and David Nelson, students Ryan Berndt, Domenico Lazzaro and Brandi Fields, lead instructor Vickie Mathieu and instructor Miguel Marroquin.

May 21st marked the first day of training for the Able Flight “Class of 2025”, and only three days later, they had already logged a total of just under 19 hours on their way to becoming licensed pilots.

In the months leading to their arrival at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Ronny Ahmed, Ryan Berndt, Brandi Fields, Chris Karadjov and Domenico Lazzaro had already completed ground school thanks to  online course materials donated by Sporty’s Pilot Shop. They all passed their FAA Knowledge Test before arriving at SIU to prepare them for concentrating on a six to seven week intensive flight training schedule.

Ronny Ahmed performs a preflight inspection under the watchful eye of instructor David Nelson.

With instructors Miguel Marroquin, David Nelson and Bisola Saliu teaching them in two adapted Vashon Ranger aircraft, and lead instructor Vickie Mathieu coordinating all aspects of training, the student pilots fly every day that weather allows, and the first checkrides will be scheduled as early as July 1st.